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Shaw Students Visit Hillyard Hillyard – On Thursday, May 31, students in Barb Hilbush’s block classes at Shaw Middle School went into downtown Hilllyard’s business district to participate in a walking tour and scavenger hunt about the town’s history. After hiking past the bell tower of the first Hillyard High School and Regal Grade School, students stopped at the second Hillyard High school on north Regal Street. The curious seventh graders were dismayed to see the deteriorated condition of the old building now known as the Martindale Apartments. Next, students learned that James J. Hill, the Great Northern Railroad magnate who brought the railroad to the community and has a mural painted about him on a wall in town, was the town’s namesake. Kate and Leland Westfall bought the property west of the railroad tracks to plat the town in 1892 and named the town after Hill who was often quoted as saying, “Gimmie enough whiskey and Swedes and I’ll build a railroad to hell!” As the kids began a scavenger hunt of the business district, they discovered that Hillyard once had its own movie house called The Rialto. “All that remains today is a vacant lot full of uncut grass and weeds with cars parked between the former walls of the theater!” exclaimed Jason Ayers. Chauncy Welliver, better known as the “Hillyard Hammer” is currently the fortieth ranked boxer in the World Boxing Council. The kids discovered that according to Chauncy, who has sparred with Mike Tyson, “I’ve been in fifty bars, and I can compete with these guys.” Not to long ago, the students were told, Welliver fought at Northern Quest where he went face-to-face with Corey Williams. All of this information was supplied by the friendly fellows at Ken’s Barber Shop in Hillyard where Chauncy is a regular customer. Shaw Middle School students came away from their walking tour with a greater appreciation for the rich history of Hillyard. |
